Data on assessing fluoride risk in bottled waters in Iran

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Fluoride is essential for dental health but can pose risks at high concentrations.
• Assessing fluoride intake from bottled water is crucial for public health, especially in regions with varying water sources.
• Bottled water consumption is significant, necessitating safety evaluations for contaminants like fluoride.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the fluoride concentration in various brands of bottled water available in Iran.
• To evaluate the non-carcinogenic health risks associated with fluoride intake from these bottled water sources.
• To compare fluoride levels against international health guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Collection of 71 diverse bottled water samples from the Iranian market.
• Quantification of fluoride concentration using standard methods for water and wastewater analysis.
• Calculation of Hazard Quotient (HQ) to assess non-carcinogenic risk for infants, children, teenagers, and adults.

Main Results:

• The average fluoride concentration in the analyzed bottled waters was 0.272 mg/L, below the WHO minimum guideline.
• Mean Hazard Quotient (HQ) values were calculated for different age groups: infants (0.0363), children (0.2568), teenagers (0.1813), and adults (0.1452).
• Only one brand exhibited an HQ value greater than 1, indicating a potential risk in that specific product; most brands had HQ values below 1.

Conclusions:

• Bottled water in Iran generally contains fluoride levels considered safe and below international standards.
• The risk of non-carcinogenic effects from fluoride in most tested bottled waters is low across all age demographics.
• While overall safety is indicated, vigilant monitoring of specific brands is recommended, as one product showed a potential risk exceeding safety thresholds.